Waskaduwa: Filipino FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri continued his unbeaten run at the Asian Juniors Chess Championship premier standard event in Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka after notching his third straight victory Saturday night. The 19-year-old Nouri, a two-time national juniors champion, prevailed over local W D Malisha Sasvidu Weerathungalage to earn 3.0 points and share the lead with International Masters S Aswath and Kashish Manoj Jain and FIDE Master Mahendru Jaiveer of India, IM Nayaka Budhidharma of Indonesia, FIDE Master Sajid Sakline Mostafa of Bangladesh and IM L M S T De Silva of Sri Lanka.

According to Philippines News Agency, Nouri shares the top spot with International Masters S. Aswath and Kashish Manoj Jain, and FIDE Master Mahendru Jaiveer of India, IM Nayaka Budhidharma of Indonesia, FM Sajid Sakline Mostafa of Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka's own IM L.M.S.T. De Silva. Nouri earlier defeated Sri Lankans Yeshan Perera and Thehas Rithmith Kiringoda in the opening two rounds. He is aiming for a third medal in the tournament after a gold in rapid and a silver in blitz.

Born in Escalante, Negros Occidental, Nouri became the world's youngest FIDE Master at seven years old after winning the 14th ASEAN Age Group Chess Championships in Thailand in 2013. Fellow Filipino Jerish John Velarde drew against India's FM Arjun Adireddy to stay in the hunt with 2.5 points, joining a tight group that includes Biswas Sourath (India), Muhammadsolih Rakhmatullaev (Uzbekistan), and locals Vinuka Dihain Wijerathna, KK Dinujaya Kodithuwakku, and VWA Vinuda Vidm Wickramasinghe.